Tabula Media

For the past decade, Tabula has established its reputation as the foremost media advocate of the institutions and principles of liberal democracy in Georgia.

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🔴 17 years have passed since the 2008 Russo-Georgian War

On August 7, 2008, the long-simmering conflict between Russia and Georgia escalated into open military aggression, resulting in hundreds of deaths, ethnic cleansing, and the occupation of two Georgian regions by Russian forces

In total, 228 Georgian civilians, 170 soldiers, and 14 police officers were killed. Around 150,000 people were forced to flee their homes, many remain internally displaced to this day

For years, the ruling Georgian Dream party has echoed Russian propaganda by blaming the Georgian government for starting the war.

Tabula spoke with representatives from the Georgian side involved in the events of August 2008 to reaffirm the truth and counter ongoing attempts to distort the historical record 🇬🇪

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Journalist: "Aren’t TV Imedi and POSTV controlled by the Georgian Dream?"

"So what?" - replied the GD’s FM

The UK sanctioned two outlets for "spreading Russian disinformation" and subjected them to asset freezes, trust services sanctions and director disqualification sanctions

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🔴After meeting with the UK ambassador to Georgia, Gareth Ward, the Foreign Minister of Georgian Dream told the media that she "did not hear a single argument" from the ambassador that would justify sanctioning Georgian government propaganda outlets TV Imedi and POSTV

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🔴In a so-called "sabotage case," Ivanishvili’s attorney general announced that criminal proceedings had been initiated against several opposition leaders - including Mikheil Saakashvili, Giorgi Vashadze, Nika Gvaramia, Nika Melia, Zurab Japaridze, Elene Khoshtaria, and Mamuka Japaridze - on allegations of "sabotage, aiding and abetting a foreign country in hostile activities, financing actions directed against the constitutional order and the foundations of Georgia’s national security, and calling for or attempting the violent overthrow of the constitutional order"

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🇬🇪 On the 300th day of continuous protests, Georgians organized an anti-government march in support of the country’s pro-Western path

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🔴On the night of August 28, Ukraine launched a large-scale drone attack on the Novokuybyshevsk oil refinery in Russia’s Samara region

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🇺🇦 🇬🇪 On Ukraine’s Independence Day, Georgians gathered at the Taras Shevchenko monument and marched to the parliament, raising the Ukrainian flag along Rustaveli Avenue in solidarity with Ukraine

🎥Nana Malashkhia

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The founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti, Mzia Amaghlobeli, was sentenced to 2 years in prison by Judge Nino Sakhelashvili.
She was originally charged with assaulting a police officer for slapping Batumi police chief Irakli Dgebuadze, who is sanctioned by Lithuania and Estonia.
The court later reclassified the charge and convicted her under the Article 353 (1), which refers to "resistance, threat or violence against a protector of public order or other representative of the authorities".
Her earlier charge carried a prison sentence of 4 to 7 years.

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"Only free elections! No to the Russian special operation!" - On day 234 of mass pro-European protests in Georgia, the protesters marched from Tbilisi State University to parliament. The protesters demand new parliamentary elections and support the boycott of the 2025 local elections

#Tbilisi #TbilisiProtests #GeorgiaProtests

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🇬🇪🇺🇸 ‘USA, Make Georgia Great Again’ march held in Tbilisi, Georgia

Participants call on the Trump administration to help Georgia against the Russian threat

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🔴 President of the Ivanishvili regime, Mikheil Kavelashvili, claims he will pardon any imprisoned opposition party leader who writes him a letter requesting to participate in the upcoming elections.

According to Kavelashvili, he will immediately issue a pardon upon receiving such a request. 'It is important that every political party participate in these elections,' claimed Kavelashvili, despite the fact that the Ivanishvili regime has jailed more than six opposition figures in the past two weeks

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🚨 According to a statement by the Iranian embassy in Georgia, Deputy MFA of the Ivanishvili regime, Alexander Khvtisiashvili, expressed solidarity with Iran following Israeli strikes and honored 'the memory of martyrs who died during the Israeli regime's attack.'

👇FULL STATEMENT:

"On Monday and Tuesday, June 30 and July 1, 2024, an event was held at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Tbilisi, dedicated to the memory of the martyrs who died during the armed attack carried out by the Israeli regime against the territorial integrity of Iran.

The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Alexander Khvtisiashvili, as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Tbilisi – including the ambassadors of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, the chargé d'affaires of Iraq, the military attaché of China, as well as representatives of religious groups, including the chairman of the Administration of All Muslims of Georgia, members of the Iranian diaspora, and Georgian Iranists.

They made notes in the condolence book opened at the embassy, expressing their condolences and solidarity with Iran. With great gratitude, we thank our friends and partners for their support and compassion during this difficult time," the Iranian embassy said in a statement.

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🔴 Three Georgian Opposition Leaders Sentenced to Prison in Single Day

In a sweeping crackdown on opposition figures, Ivanishvili's regime sentenced three prominent opposition politicians to prison on Monday, marking a significant escalation in the government's campaign against dissent.

Zurab Japaridze, leader of the opposition Girchi–More Freedom party, was sentenced to seven months in prison for refusing to pay bail that had been set as a preventive measure for his non-appearance before the ruling Georgian Dream's one-party parliament's investigative commission. The court also banned Japaridze from holding public office for two years.

Mamuka Khazaradze, leader of the opposition Lelo party, was sentenced to eight months in prison on charges of refusing to testify before the investigative commission. His party colleague, Badri Japaridze, received the same eight-month sentence on identical charges. Both men were also barred from holding public office for two years.

The sentences stem from the politicians' refusal to cooperate with parliament's Temporary Investigative Commission, which was established by the ruling Georgian Dream party to investigate alleged crimes of the former UNM government. Although, opposition leaders and critics argue the ruling party is weaponizing the commission to systematically target political opponents

#Georgia #GeorgianDream #IvanishviliRegime

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🔴 The ruling Georgian Dream party's crackdown on the opposition continues

Ivanishvili’s regime has sentenced Mamuka Khazaradze, leader of the opposition Lelo party, to eight months in prison for refusing to appear before a parliamentary investigative commission tasked with investigating alleged crimes committed by the former UNM government.

The regime's court also barred Khazaradze from holding public office for two years

#Georgia #GeorgianDream #IvanishviliRegime

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"The deep state is and the oligarchic families are the ones who even sacrificed Israel, who even dragged Israel into the evil, known as igniting a world war, the same thing they demanded from us, the same thing they implemented in Ukraine, the same thing happening in Gaza, none of it is accidental, everything is connected.

The clearest example for our society is that even Israel, where practically all those families originate from, even Israel was sacrificed.

Why did they make Israel strike? Let them strike themselves. America is 12 000 kilometers away, much more secure, a much stronger country, with much greater capabilities. Now imagine the kind of environment Israel is in. [...] They will sacrifice anything even their own mother, no need to even talk about Georgia, which they did sacrifice. Thank God, May 17 forced this government to be in place in this country" -said one of the main propagandists of the regime Goga Khaindrava on the pro-government propaganda channel POSTV

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🔴 Israel's air defense systems are trying to intercept ballistic missiles launched from Iran over Tel Aviv. Officials say at least 150 missiles were fired, some landing in central Israel

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🔴 Ivanishvili's Regime Echoes Russian Intelligence Talking Points

Ivanishvili's one-party parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili accused the British Embassy on Friday of intending to fund what he called "partisan propaganda and extremist politicians with the declared goal of disrupting local elections." Papuashvili demanded the embassy disclose "who it funded and with what amount" in connection with Georgia's 2024 parliamentary elections, as well as current funding recipients.

"Following the British Embassy's statement, it was revealed that the embassy intended to fund partisan propaganda and extremist politicians with the declared goal of disrupting local elections, which reinforces suspicions that this was not their first attempt to finance propaganda and extremism," - said Papuashvili.

Russian intelligence made nearly identical claims to those of Ivanishvili's Parliament Speaker Papuashvili just days earlier. On June 5, Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) alleged that Britain was leading what it called the "Battle for Georgia" and planning to increase funding for NGOs while pushing them toward radicalization. The SVR claimed the UK Foreign Office had recruited about 100 members of youth, student, feminist and LGBT movements for what it termed "destructive activities." Russian intelligence officials said they believe Britain intends to use these organizations to end Georgian Dream's rule.

"The 'Battle for Georgia' is being led by the British. London plans to significantly increase funding for Georgian opposition NGOs, directing them toward radicalizing anti-government activity. To conduct subversive work, the UK Foreign Office has selected about 100 youth and student associations, feminist movements, and LGBT community structures across various regions of Georgia.

At the next stage, the British intend to push such organizations 'charged with subversive creativity' to consolidate efforts with opposition parties. According to London's calculations, this should 'shake up' the systemic political opposition, give it a 'second wind' and mobilize it to launch a new round of struggle to remove the ruling 'Georgian Dream' from power," - SVR's statement reads.

#Georgia #Tbilisi #IvanishviliRegime #GeorgianDream

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🔴 According to a Georgian citizen, on June 10, Dito Samkharadze—a representative of Ivanishvili’s regime—sent an audio recording to her friend fighting in Ukraine. The now-released recording contains threats against soldiers, extensive swearing, and antisemitic remarks targeting President Zelenskyy.

In the audio, a voice alleged to be Samkharadze is heard telling those he addresses that “they don't know what's waiting for them,” and threatening to “go over everyone who’s alive—whether it’s a cat, chicken, or human being.”

After a string of profanities and threats, the alleged representative of the Georgian Dream regime accuses the soldiers of “sucking Ukrainians’ and Zelenskyy’s d*ck,” and refers to the president of Ukraine as “a Jew,” using a derogatory antisemitic term

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https://t.co/rKYnF2zA9m

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🔴 Ivanishvili's regime, which describes itself as a "values-based ally" of President Trump, is planning to prosecute citizens for social media comments directed at government officials that it deems insulting.

Under the proposed measures, individuals could face fines ranging from 1,500 to 4,000 Georgian lari ($560 to $1,500 USD) or up to 45 days of administrative detention for such comments posted on social media.

Notably, the Trump administration has criticized certain British laws that Western conservatives view as severe infringements on free speech.

"The crackdown on social media expression is now entering a new phase. This is demonstrated by Georgian Dream's legal complaints filed against citizens over their social media posts and comments.

When critical opinions expressed on social networks pose no immediate threat to others, contain no threats, and are non-violent, any interference with the right to free speech is unacceptable," said Nona Kurdovanidze, chairwoman of the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (GYLA)

#Tabula #Tbilisi #Georgia #GeorgianDream #IvanishviliRegime

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🔴 Georgian Dream's latest attack on free speech

Georgia's ruling party threatens more than a dozen citizens, opposition politicians, and activists with jail time over their social media posts that it deems insulting to government officials.

The formal complaints against targeted individuals were filed by representatives of billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili's Georgian Dream party.

Irakli Kirtskhalia, First Deputy Chair of the ruling party, said the complaints filed address what he characterized as "the most offensive statements and insults" posted on social media platforms and in public forums targeting government officials.

Targeted individuals face fines ranging from 1,500 to 4,000 Georgian lari ($550 to $1,500 USD) or up to 45 days of administrative detention for such social media posts or comments

#Georgia #Tbilisi #IvanishviliRegime #GeorgianDream